Electrode holder



Sept. 1, 19245.

R. D. THOMAS ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed May 15. 1924 i N s ///////.////l//r////4/I//Y//l//ll/ INVENTOR )P05/a! Z7- Wah/aa 25M @my resented sepa'. areas.

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To all coomt may concern Beit Lfnovfn that I, llorar., D. Trroinas, a 'tizen of thefUnited States., and a resident arberth, Montgomery County?. State of have invented.l certain new usati-ul Improvements in 'Electrode s, of which the following is a specie resent invention relates to holders etrodes, and' more particularly to a r for an electrode used in are 'Welding Some oi" the objects oi2 lthe presen-,t invenfi n are to provide a holder t'or an electrode ih will rigidly hold the-electrode in opi ting position so that it is impossible for electrode to Work loose or change posi- 'f' f when the device is, in operation; to ide a holder for arc Welding electrodes `Tv'nitfn is of rugged construction, light in and which can be easilymanipulated 'y l use; to provide an improved means :ter protesting the user Jol? an electrode holder rom heat and from the Welding current; to provide a simple and efficient holder( for electrodes which is so arranged and constructed that one electrode 4can be substituted for another quickly and with a minimum loss of time; to provide van improved handle for an electrode holder wherein the terminal oit the current carryin cable, as well as the clamping adjuncts t ereof, are protected so that accidental contact by the user is prevented; and to provide` other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of an electrode holder embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section of the holder; and Fig. '4 'represents a section on line 114-4; of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, one form of the present invention for holding an electrode 10 used for arc welding purposes comprises a body 11 of conducting material, provided with a jaw 12 having' spaced abutments 13 and 14 to vreceive the electrode 10 .between them. In the present construction,

these abutments are formed by a slot cut in one side of the body 11 'and having its sides inclined with respect to the holding or operating position of the electrode 10,' thou h ther forms may be employed 'without eparting from the invention.

For the purpose of clamping 'or rigidly ieee. sei-in ne. vieste.

`ments 13 and 1i a movable i5 is provided as a detachable or adjustable part oi a movable member 16, mounted movement upon a pivot 17 vile oversely 'out the body 1l; The jaw is'L eiierably provide-d the electrode 10, and purpose one face oit the abutment i3 is provided with `teeth 20 which coect'v opposite side of the electrode t' l 13 so that thetvvo gripping prevent relative lengthwise ino electrode but also hold it against side movement. The jaw 15 is prefer l mounted or adiustinent tot. d from the position of the e" one l@ by providing it with e slot 21 v :h straddles two fastening studs threaded into the movu able member 13. the heavy operating c ont from passing through the javv 15, and to that end studs 22 are tted with insulating bushings 23 and the jaw itself is insulated :ti t member 13 by a strip et? insulating material.

'il for resizing t member 16 and for normally holding the atv 15 in clamping engagement with the elecerode 10, the member 16 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 25, which terminates at a convenient point Ifor operations as will be later explained.y This arm 25 is maintained under pressure of a retraction spring which is coiled about a pin 26 secured to the body 11 with one endj A27 pressed against the arm 25 and the other end 28 pressed against the body 11 so that the necessary tenslon is maintained. Preferabl the end of the Spring end 27 is shaped as s own at 30 to properly fit the army 25 to prevent its displacement and also toride freely on the under surface of the arm 25 as the latter is moved on its 'pivot 17.

In order to attach the current; conveying cable 31 to the body 11 the latter is provided withashank 32 having its outer end formed with an axially disposed opening 33 through which the cable 31 is arrange to pass in of which is provided with a groove 36 which gradually decreases in size toward the o enmg 33. The outer face 37 of the bloc 35 is shaped to conform to the confi ration of the inner face of a tubular lhand e' 38, so that when the latter is laced in its operative position enclosing t e end of the shank 32 it will have a snu fit about the block 35. In order that the b ook may be lmoved relative to the end of the shank 32 and thereby produce the required wedge clamping action upon the cable 31, the two abutting faces of the block and the shank are formed so that the movable part can ride freely with res ect to the shank under the pressure of a eed screw 40 or equivalent means. which is threaded through the end of the shank and bears against one end of the block 35. In connection with the handle construction, it will also be noted that the shank 32 is provided with a head 41 corres onding in contour and size to the sha e an dimensionof the inside of the han le 38, while a flange 42 is formed integral withv the head 41 andhas a diameter sufliciently large to act as an abutment for the end of the handle to thus fix its position. That portion of the shank 32 in which the feed screw 40 is located is also of a size to lit within the interior of the handle 38, and the latter can therefore be readily slipped over the shank and fit snugly a ainst the aforesaid abutment flange 42. en the handle 38 is thus in placel over the end of the shank 32 it encircles the block 35 so that when the cable 31 has been inserted through the opening 33 into the grooves 34 and 36 a feeding movement transmitted to. the screw 40 will cause the block 35 to move relative to the shank 32, and because of wedge action of the two opposed grooves, grip the cable 31 on the one side while being forced into binding engagement with the inside of the handle 38 on the opposite side. In this wa the handle is rigid y clamped; in place whi e simultaneously the cable 31 is made fast in good electrical contact with the shank 32. For protecting the user of the holder from the current, as well as any radiating heat, the handle 38 is formed of insulating material and in` its assembled position the extremity of the arm 25 is in\such a position that it can be easily operated by the thumb or finger of the hand upon the handle. For preventing direct contact with the arm, it is provlded with a thumb piece or button 43 and any pressure thereon is transmitted to the arm to cause the' necessary rocking movement thereof.

It will now be apparent that'a complete unita electrode holder has been ldevised in which one part is arranged to cooperate with or receive an electrode, while another partis movable and acts'directly upon the electrode to create a preure which clamps or binds the electrode in the body. Thus, the electrode 10 can be placed between the abutments 13 and 14 with any desired vlength thereof extendin in the .dlrection of use, and at this time t e arm 25 is .moved against the action of the spring arm 27 by pressure of the thumb upon the thumb piece 43, and the arm and its parts thus swing in a clockwise direction *and move the jaw 15 out of the path ofthe electrode 10. As soon as the electrode is'properly placed the pressure upon the arm is released, and consequently the spring arm 27 returns it toward its normal position and therefore brings the jaw 15 into engagement with the electrode 10.- The .result is an a plied bending moment to the electrode, w ich causes the electrode to be rigidly held between the abutments-13 and 14. In other words, the electrode is held at three points, 44, 45 and 46, the applied force acting at 44 and the electrode 10 being fulerumed at45. Of course, movement of the arm 25 in a direction to withdraw the jaw 15 causes an instant release of the electrode, which can therefore be dropped out or removed and a new electrode quickly substituted. Y

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the holder of the present invention functions not only to firmly and yrigidly retain the electrode in supported operating position but also holds it in such a manner that it can be released and removed from the holder in a minimum of time. Furthermore, the terminal of the conductin cable is securely locked to the body, /ma ing a perfect electrode contact, and at the same time this terminal, as well as the associated parts', is enclosed within .an insulating handle which protects the user from the current. A desirable feature also of the convstruction is in the provision of a common means for clamping the conducting cable to the body and also-.securing the handle at the same time.

While but one form is shown in which this invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to `any specific construction, but might be applied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: r

1. In an electrode holder, the combination of a body providing a two point contact with an electrode, said points being arran ed to engageopposite sides of said electro e, a member movable with respect to-- said body and providing a single point contact with said electrode, and means for ap'- plying pressure to said single point contact whereby said electrode is 'pped at said three 1 ploints and rigidly held.n

an electrode holder,'the combination I.

of a body forming a fulcrum and an abutment, said fulcrum and abutment being spaced to receive an electrode between them, anl means acting at a single point on said electrode on the opposite side of said fulcrum from said abutment to cause said electrode to be rigidly held by said body.

3. In an electrode holder, the combination of a body forming a fulcrum and an abutment arranged to receive an yelectrode between them, and means including a spring pressed jaw acting upon said electrode at a single point on the opposite side from the fulcrum to clamp said electrode.

4. In an electrode holder, the combination of a body forming a fulcrum and an abutment arranged to receive an electrode between them, and means including an adjustable jaw acting upon said electrode at a single point on the opposite side from the fulcrum to clamp said electrode. l 5. In an electrode holder, the combination of a body, means operating in conjunction with said body for clamping an electrode in operative position, a handle for said body, means on said body for receivin a cable terminal, and common means for c amping said terminal and said handle to said body.

6. .In an electrode holder, the combination of a body, means operating in conjunction with said body for clamping an electrode in operative posltion, a handle for said body, means lon said body for receiving a cable terminal, and means including .a Wedge member for simultaneously clamping said terminal and said handle to said body.

7. In an electrode holder, the combination of a body having an inclined receiving opening for a cable terminal, a member encircling said opening and terminal, a wedge block arranged to coact with said member and engaging said terminal, and means to move said block to create a clamping action upon said terminal.

Signed at Philadelphia, inthe counto. Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, this 28th day koi. April, 1924.

' ROYAL D. THOMAS. 

